Cable railway for circulation service



Aug. 24, 1954 K. PETER CABLE RAILWAY FOR CIRCULATIONSERVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 3, 1951 INVENTDR Aug. 24, 1954 K. PETER CABLE RAILWAY FOR CIRCULATION SERVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 5, 1951 INVENTOR,

' Karl Peier.

BY ave/m wamxv is subject to frequent disturbances.

Patented Aug. 24, 1954 UNITED STAT i? All OFFICE CABLE RAILWAY FOR CIRCULATION SERVICE Switzerland Application January 3, 1951, Serial No. 204,117

Claims priority, application Austria January 19, 1950 6 Claims.

This invention relates to a cable tramway for circulatory service. With the hitherto most often employed embodiment of suspended cable tram- Ways with circulatory service for the transportation of passengers the carriages are disconnected in the terminuses from the circulating hauling cable, and connected again after the same has been guided around the cable sheave. Such an operation requires, however, besides a numerous service personnel, an extended track plant, and Another known system of such cable tramways provides a guiding track of a great diameter for reversing the carriages by means of track rollers designed for that special purpose, this construction, however, requiring big and expensive buildings. These known embodiments have the further disadvantage due to their complicated construction that carriages can only be used, which have a relatively small volume at their disposal for the passengers.

With suspended cable tramways for the transportation .of material there is, furthermore, known the possibility to allow the track rollers of the suspension tackle for the load, upon its arrival at the sheave for the reversion of the hauling cable, to roll upon the edge of said sheave, to come to a standstill on said edge, and to be turned round with said sheave to the runway track section on the departure side. However, a disadvantage of said device for transferring the suspension tackle from the entering side to the departure side of the reversing sheave consists in that it is suited for suspension tackles with short track rollers only. For, the track rollers of the cabins of cable tramways for the transportation of passengers, which comprise a series of rollers, would, in consequence of their great length, require rotary sheaves of a very great diameter, the arrangement of which would make necessary station buildings of undesirably big dimensions.

The disadvantages of the embodiments mentioned are avoided in connection with the suspended cable tramway for circulatory service according to the invention, where, in similar manner as with cable tramways with a down and up service, a supporting track cable, each, and an infinite circulating hauling cable are provided for the transportation of the cabin. By the invention there is particularly enabled, in consequence of the special manner of transferring the cabins at the reversing places, a small dimension of the station buildings, contrary to those of the known tramways 'for circulatory service, i. e. even smaller than with the cable tramways for a down and up service, and, on the other hand, likewise an unchanged construction of the carriages, cabins, track rollers, or other parts, customary with the latter kind of cable tramways. The ends of said supporting track cables at the terminus may be anchored in front of or behind the reversing device, for instance by a clamping shoe. The ends of the running ways constituted by the supporting track cables in front of the reversing device are joining short rigid track sections to said reversing device.

The invention substantially consists in that in addition to the horizontal reversing sheave a carrying device movable independent of said sheave is arranged for the track rollers of the suspension tackle, especially for the passenger cabin, a track section being connected with the part of said carrying device rotatable around the axle of said sheave, the track rollers of said cabin rolling upon said track section from the supporting track cable on the entering side, and unrolling from said track section to the supporting track cable on the departure side, after the carrying device has been rotated around the axle of said sheave. According to a further embodiment of the invention the ends of both supporting track cables near the cable sheaves are constructed as rigid track sections for efiecting a connection to the track sections of the carrying device.

According to the invention there is thus avoided the difficulty hitherto encountered in connection with reversing track rollers of the cabins upon a curved guide track section of a great radius, in that the cabins, which have just entered, are reversed, together with the track rollers, directly around the reversing sheave for the hauling cable; it is, however, not necessary that said sheave should be greater than is required for reversing the hauling cable with a down and up service.

An embodiment of the subject of the invention is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical view of the carrying device rotatable around the axle of the reversing sheave for the hauling cable and loaded with the cabin suspended thereon, Fig. 2 a schematical illustration in top view of the movement of the cabin suspended upon said device, from one supporting track cable to the other, Figs. 3 and 4 showing side views of the cabin suspended on said device in its position at the beginning of the reversing procedure (for guiding it back), and after one half of the reversing rotation has been performed, Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical illustration of a latch in open position acting as a stop which causes the rotation of the carrying device, and as a means for coupling said device with the rigid track section of the supporting track cable on the departure side, Fig. 6 shows said latch in coupled position, Fig. 7 the linked intermediate member provided for coupling the cabin to the hauling cable, and Fig. 8 an arrangement for moving back the reversed carrying device into its initial position.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The procedure of reversing the cabin in the terminus is shown in Fig. 2, according to which the cabin or carriage I is guided, by the action of the endless hauling cable 3 wound around the horizontal reversing sheave 2, from the supporting track cable 4 over the rigid track section 5 fixed at the end of said supporting track cable to the track section of the carrying device I, said latter track section aligning said rigid track section 5. The carrying device I is rotatable around the axle 8 of the reversing sheave 2, and guides, in consequence of its being moved along by the hauling cable, the cabin I into the position displaced by 180 with regard to the position shown in full lines, in which displaced position its carrying track section I3 aligns the rigid track section 9 cf the supporting track cable IE] on the departure side, the track rollers unrolling then over said rigid track section 9 upon the supporting tra-ck cable Ill.

The carrying device I (Fig. 1) comprises the cylindrical part II rotatably arranged upon the axle 8, said part being connected, e. g. by means of radial ribs I4, to the horizontal rigid track section I3 intended for receiving the track rollers I2 of the cabin I. The track sections 5, 9, and I3 are disposed in a common substantially horizontal plane. Thus the track section I3 is aligned with either of the track sections 5, or 9, in one of the two opposite positions of the carrying device I. Said rigid track section I3 has only a slightly greater length than the track rollers I2 comprising a series of rollers, and is provided at its end on the departure side with the latch I5 kept in vertical position by means of the spring I6, as shown in Fig. 5 on an enlarged scale. During the reversion of the cabin I connected by means of the coupling II with the supporting track cable 4, the track rollers I2, the foremost roller I9 of which comes to contact the latch I5, is effecting the rotation of the carrying device around the axle 8 from its position on the entering side to the position on the departure side, since the spring I6 of the latch has been dimensioned strong enough to hold said latch in vertical position against the torsional moment actingupon it and required for turninground the carrying device loaded with the cabin. The pressure exerted by the track rollers upon the latch I5 is small, and thus the spring-loaded latch I5 is capable of blocking the carriage track rollers prior to the carrying member track section I3 engaging the track section 9 since the carriage is kept in its position on the reversing sheave by the pressure of the haulin cable eifected in radial direction upon the reversing sheave of the hauling cable. At the end of the reversing procedure the pressure in radial direction ceases automatically since the carriage continues to move in the direction of the supporting track cable, and therefore the track rollers are withdrawn from the 4 roller I3 by the pull of the hauling cable, a greater pressure being now exerted upon the latch l5 moving the latter downwards, so as to act as a coupling member connecting the carrying member track section I3 to the track section 9 aligned therewith. In the final position of the carrying device the end of the latch of the track section aligns the rigid track section 9 of the supporting track cable In (Fig. 2). In this moment the latch I5 is, as stated above, in consequence of the pull of the hauling cable against the action of its spring I6, forced down by the track rollers unrolling over said latch, thus causing the coupling of the track section I3 with the track section 9, the secure transition of the cabin from the carrying device to the supporting track cable on the departure side being thus ensured. After the track rollers have been completely unrolled from said device, the latch I5 again moves back, by the action of its spring, into the vertical position, the carrying device which is now relieved of the cabin being simultaneously again moved back into its initial position on the entering side, by a weight 33 (Fig. 8) lifted by means of a rope 32 wound around the cylindrical part I I, said carrying device thus being ready for receiving the next following cabin.

In order to secure the track section I3 of the carrying device in its position towards the rigid track section 5, even when the cabin has rolled up, a latch 29 held in vertical position by means of spring action is arranged at the end of the rigid track section 5, in similar manner as with track section I3, said latch being likewise, as

latch I5, forced down by the track rollers rolling up, thus effecting the connection of both track sections. Said latch is released from the last roller 34 of the track rollers, the coupling of both track sections being thus disconnected, only if the track rollers have completely rolled upon track section I3, however, still before its roller IQ which is the foremost roller in the rotating direction has reached the latch I5 bringin about as a driver the rotation of the carrying device.

As soon as the track rollers have rolled upon the track section I3 of the carrying device, said roll.- ers are, by the latch 22 moving down automatically and comin to contact the rib 2| of the cylindrical part II, secured against sliding back from the track section I2. Since said safety device is exclusively provided for the latter purpose, the latch may remain in said position till the following entrance of track rollers from which it is then lifted for a renewed action.

In order to prevent a fatigue and a premature rupture of the hauling cable at the coupling II, in consequence of its being moved around the reversing sheave of a relatively small diameter, said coupling is consisting of several parts 28, 28, 30, 3| in the manner of a link chain or sprocket chain, said parts being turnable towards one another in horizontal, as well as in vertical direction. Said parts are therefore enabling, while the cable is moved around the sheave 2, a mutual movement in a horizontal plane, as well as, during the drive and during changes of the inclination of the hauling cable, a mutual movement in a vertical plane. In consequence thereof the hauling cable is, at its connecting spots with the coupling, not given any bends which would exceed those of a hauling cable of normal cable tramways with a down and up service,.and thus maintains the same life as a hauling cable of the latter type of tramway.

The manner of reversing the cabin, in accordance with the invention, from the supporting track cable on the entering side to that on the departure side is especially suited for being employed with modern, fully automatically operated suspended cable tramways like those according to Austrian Patent No. 168,313 dated October 15, 1950, since with this embodiment the losses of time and the disturbances of the hitherto known cable tramways for circulatory service are completely dispensed with. At the same time the embodiment according to the invention offers, contrary to the operation of the latter type, the possibility of considerably increasing the trafiic.

In conformity with this increase of the trafic attainable with the aid of the present invention, and in order to prevent as far as possible unnecessary delays during the arrival of the cabins in the stations, as well as in order not to detain the cabins on the track longer than is required for the passengers to get in, the doors of the cabins are, during the entrance of the carriage into the station, opened hydraulically. The means for giving the pressure required therefor is supplied by the small piston pump 23, the actu ation of which is brought about by the arm 24 fixed to the axis of the roller 34 actuating through a lever the piston of the part 23, during the drive of the track rollers 12. Said means for supplying the pressure, preferably oil, is kept in a container 25, from which it is guided through a valve 26 actuated, during the entrance of the cabin into the station, by means of a rigid stop below the piston of the door opening cylinder 21.

The automatic opening of the door of the cabin is, however, brought about only with an occupied cabin, if a valve of the duct of the pressure means is in open position, said valve being actuated by the floor of the cabin transmitting the load of the passengers. Despite this device the door may, however, at any time be easily opened by hand. It closes, if it is no more kept open, automatically by spring pressure. If it is, on the contrary, kept open for too long a time, thus preventing the departure, e. g. with a fully automatically operated tramway, the valve of the floor cfiects, after the door has been opened, a reversal. Thereby the throttled pressure means is guided to the opposite side of the piston of the door opening cylinder 21, so that the door is closed after a certain time. This procedure is performed every time the door of the cabin is opened, even if the opening procedure is brought about from the outside and by hand, so that the door is closed with a delay, e. g. after seconds, under pressure. This pressure is, however, only maintained to be great enough so as not to injure the persons who happen to be within the door.

While the invention has been shown in the particular embodiment described it is not limited thereto, as modifications thereof may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cable tramway for circulatory service comprising two supporting track cables, rigid track sections each fixed to one end of a track cable, an endless hauling cable, two sheaves substantially horizontally disposed and each rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and guiding and reversing the hauling cable, a carrying member for each sheave and rotatable about the axis thereof and including a rigid track section aligned with either of the first mentioned track sections in one of two opposite positions of the carrying member, all the track sections adjacent a sheave being arranged in a common substantially horizontal plane, and a carriage including track rollers and connected to the hauling cable.

2. The cable tramway according to claim 1 and wherein the rotatable carrying member includes a cylindrical part and also comprising flexible means at one end connected to the cylindrical part and wound thereon by rotation of the carrying member and a weight attached to the other end of the flexible member and tending to unwind the fiexible member from the cylindrical part for restoring the carrying member to its initial position.

3. The cable tramway according to claim 1 and also comprising coupling pieces each movable to a position connecting the carrying member track section to one of the first mentioned track sections aligned therewith.

4. The cable tramway according to claim 3 and wherein one of the connecting pieces is pivoted to an end of one of the first mentioned track sections and the other to an end of the carrying member track section, and springs each urging a connection piece upwardly, each connecting piece being moved by the carriage to a horizontal position connecting one of the first mentioned track sections with the carrying member track section.

5. A cable tramway for circulatory service comprising two supporting track cables, rigid track sections each fixed to one end of a track cable, an endless hauling cable, two sheaves substantially horizontally disposed and each rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and guiding and reversing the hauling cable, a carrying member for each sheave and rotatable about the axis thereof and including a rigid track section aligned with either of the first mentioned track sections in one of two opposite positions of the carrying member, all the track sections adjacent a sheave being arranged in a common substantially horizontal plane, and a carriage including track rollers and connected to the hauling cable, and means carried by the carrying member track section and blocking the carriage track rollers prior to the carrying member track section engaging one of the first mentioned sections.

6. The cable tramway according to claim 5 and wherein the means for blocking the carriage rollers is a piece connecting the carrying member track sections to one of the first mentioned track sections upon engagement thereof by the carrying member track section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,090,135 Linder Aug. 17, 1937 2,116,226 Vogel May 3, 1938 2,238,265 Hunziker Apr. 15, 1941 

